Denotation and Connotation

Read the excerpt from The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. The Mole had been working very hard all the morning, spring-cleaning his little home. First with brooms, then with dusters; then on ladders and steps and chairs, with a brush and a pail of whitewash; till he had dust in his throat and eyes, and splashes of whitewash all over his black fur, and an aching back and weary arms.

What does the word "state" mean in the sentence? B. The negative connotations of the words "dust," "aching," and "weary" give the excerpt a tone of tiredness.

Read the sentence below. The bus driver spoke to the rude passenger in an icy voice.

Which meaning best states the connotation of the word "icy" in the sentence? B. Unfriendly

Read the excerpt from The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. Never in his life had he seen a river before—this sleek, sinuous, full-bodied animal, chasing and chuckling, gripping things with a gurgle and leaving them with a laugh, to fling itself on fresh playmates that shook themselves free, and were caught and held again. All was a-shake and a-shiver—glints and gleams and sparkles, rustle and swirl, chatter and bubble. The Mole was bewitched, entranced, fascinated.

Which words best help express a positive tone in the excerpt? A. laugh, sparkles, bubble

Read the excerpt from "Object Lesson 1". Louise Carpenter stood tensely straight at her desk, her pretty face almost as white as the envelope she was clutching. And she was glaring at a mass of boy and girl faces so blankly, so furtively quiet that the silence sizzled.

How does the author's word choice help express the tone of the excerpt? C. The negative connotations of the words "tensely," "clutching," and "sizzled" give the excerpt a tone of nervousness.

Use context to determine the correct meaning of the word "minor" in the sentence. The brothers had a minor debate over which of them should take out the trash.

What does "minor" mean in the sentence? not serious

Use context to determine the correct meaning of the word "state" in the sentence. Listening to several people talk at once left Jerrod in a state of confusion.

What does the word "state" mean in the sentence? B . a condition of the mind

Which denotation best describes this group of words? bright, shiny, airy

C . Light

Choose the meaning that gives a denotation of the word "house."

D. a structure that is lived in by people

How is the denotation of a word different from its connotation?

D . The denotation of a word gives the word's exact meaning, while the connotation of a word gives the word's emotional meaning.

Choose the meaning that gives a positive connotation of the word "sound." a.harmony b.noise c.screech d.racket

a. harmony